Of Grace and Fire
by MarieZenith
Summary: What happens when a Catholic nun with extensive knowledge of Middle Earth, finds herself drawn into the very world she read about. Follow her as she tries to find her way.
1. A Very Unexpected Journey

**Now I told myself that I wasn't going to write another story for a while, but I was attacked by plot bunnies. I own nothing but my own character.**

Chapter 1

A Very Unexpected Journey

My day started off like every day has for the past three years. Rise with the morning bell at half past five, morning prayer at six followed by Mass and breakfast before setting out for the day's duties. Never would I have guessed it to end like this.

I guess I should introduce myself first. I am Sister Therese. I am a novice sister in the Order of Saint Francis. Our work is to give aid to the poor and teach in low income schools.

I greatly love the life and the people I meet every day. It reminds me that there is more to the world than what we see.

Anyways, it was as I was doing my work in the soup kitchen, preparing for the evenings meal that my day took an unexpected change. Looking up from my task, I saw my superior, Sister Rosa, heading my way. The look on her face did not bode well, her eyes were red and puffy. It was quite obvious that she had been crying.

Upon reaching me, Sister Rosa looked at me and tried her hardest not to cry as she spoke.

"Sister Therese, stop what you're doing. You need to return home immediately."

Shocked, I dropped everything. This couldn't be happening.

"Why Sister? Why am I being sent home? I am only three weeks away from taking my first vows!" I exclaimed, panicking. Had I done something wrong. Did they no longer think that I had what it took to be a religious sister?

"Yes your vows are in three weeks. You are not being sent away from the convent." At this, she struggled to take a breath.

Looking me in the eye, she stammered, "There... there's been an accident. It's your..your bro...brother. The oil rig caught fire, and... and he didn't make it. They found him in the water."

Staring back at her, I couldn't breathe. He couldn't be... Connor couldn't be dead. I felt the world around me begin to spin as tears flowed from my eyes.

Looking back at Sister Rosa, I searched her face for some semblance that what she said was not true.

Shaking her head she said, "We couldn't find an immediate flight, so we booked a bus for this afternoon to take you home. Go pack a bag. The bus leaves in two hours."

Dropping everything, I ran across the street to the convent. Racing up to my room I grabbed a small bag of toiletries, my spare habit, underclothes, my breviary, and my copies of Tolkien's writings.

Many of the sisters laughed at my obsession, how I would diligently study each bit, even to the point of learning elvish, but somehow, reading his stories of Middle Earth always helped me ground myself when upset. It was my way of coping. I needed them now more than ever.

Double checking my items I deemed that I had all that was needed.

Going back downstairs, I looked for Sister Rosa who was waiting for me by the garage door. Not saying a word, we climbed into the car heading to the bus station.

 **3 hours later**

Looking out the window, I looked out at the landscape passing by. We were passing through the mountains and everything looked so beautiful. I couldn't help but to think of Imladris as we passed by a series of waterfalls. It had been raining in this area for days so the waters rushed over the cliff side violently. I wondered if that is how it was in the Hidden Valley.

Looking down, I put away the book I had been reading. Closing my eyes, I sat back in my seat, intending to get some rest before I had to switch busses. No sooner than I had begun to drift off, did I feel the bus jerk to the right.

Looking on in horror, I see the side of the mountain give way. No longer were the trees and shrubs able to hold the waterlogged ground in place. There was no time to get out of the way.

In a matter of seconds, the wall of earth crashed into the side of the bus, shattering my window and sending us over the edge of the cliff. Grasping the seat in front of me, I prayed that we would live. With my last breath, I gave thanks for the time that I had been given before we crashed and the world went dark.

 **Somewhere in the mountains**

Groaning, I opened my eyes and slowly began to get up. I felt around me searching for my bag and then it hit me, I was outside, no bus in sight.

Scrambling to my feet, I began to look around. I was still in the mountains, but there was no visual proof of the mudslide that I had just experienced. I looked to be on a cliff side mountain trail, wide enough for about two horses. No lights of a city or roadway in sight.

"This isn't right... Maybe I hit my head and am dreaming while in a coma." I said to myself, trying to make sense of the situation.

Pinching myself, I jumped at the pain. Okay, so maybe not a dream. But if it is not a dream, then where am I?

"Okay, let's recap. I got on the bus, read my book, fell asleep, then we were swiped away by a mudslide. If that is the case, then there should be a mangled bus buried in mud right here." I pondered aloud.

I was turning in circles looking for anything familiar when I heard it. Heavy footsteps coming from my left.

'Yes! My rescue is close!' I thought.

Boy was I wrong, for around the corner came the most hideous creature I had ever seen. It had pale, scarred up skin, scraggly teeth and sunken eyes that promised great terror and pain.

I soon realized that it was too late to hide. The monster had seen me and called back to others. Turning in the opposite direction, I ran, praying that I would find some sort of refuge.

Unfortunately, I was not that lucky. The lumbering creatures were faster than I had expected upon seeing their bulky build, and I was no runner. They caught up to me quickly, grabbing at my habit and cincture*.

One grabbed me by my bag, ripping it from my arms and throwing me off balance. For the second time that day, I found myself falling over the edge of a cliff.

 **Okay, here you go. I got curious how it would pan out if a nun somehow got stuck in Middle Earth. This is a concept that I have not seen yet so I figured I would take a go at it.**

 ***breviary- prayer book for the Liturgy of the Hours, aka, the universal prayer of the Catholic Church. Broken up into seven "hours".**

 ***cincture- a rope belt worn by religious of the Franciscan order.**


	2. Help Arrives

Chapter 2

Help Arrives

The sound of orcs and the screams of a woman filled the air and urged the group of riders on. They were weary from their travels, but the sound of a struggle spurred them on and kept them alert.

Rounding the corner, they were just in time to see an orc rip a travel pack from a woman dressed in brown with a white veil, and send her careening over the edge of the cliff.

With a loud shout they drove into the small orc pack, quickly dispatching the foul creatures from the world.

Soft cries carried to the ears of the two riders closest to the dropoff. Looking over the edge they spot the woman several feet down, dangling precariously from a gnarled root that jutted out from the cliff face.

Quickly one of them grabbed a rope and called to his other companions. Wrapping one end of the rope around a boulder, he threw the other end over the side and encouraged her to grab on.

The poor woman grabbed at the rope and no sooner did she get ahold of it in one hand did the other hand give.

Looking on in horror, the riders saw her drop several more feet before the rope caught hold of her. Many of them winced at the agonized scream that was ripped from her throat.

Hurriedly, they began to hoist her up until finally one of them was able to grab ahold of her strange tunic, and pull her up the rest of the way to safety.

Looking her over, they quickly saw that her left shoulder had been dislocated and the skin on her hands and left wrist had been torn open from the fall.

Getting close to her, one of the riders held her still, humming gently trying to gain her attention. Once her eyes met his, he motioned for one of the others to set her arm.

Looking back at the woman he saw a great amount of shock and disbelief in her eyes before they were overcome with pain before another scream tore from her frame.

This time the pain had proved too much for the poor girl and she went limp in his arms. Looking at the other riders, he quickly helped the one across from him bind her arm, before picking her up and placing her on his horse. Glancing around he ordered one of the others to grab her bag.

Readjusting the woman, he climbed up behind her and spurred his horse on. If they were going to get to Imladris before sundown, they would have to make haste.

 **Yeah, I know this one is short, but I had to write it and post it before it left my mind.**


End file.
